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Note: In 1905, the Bartel family was experiencing severe stress. Admission records for the Toledo State Hospital show that Mrs. Augusta Bartel, of
621 Nevada Avenue, was admitted as a patient on 13 OCT 1905. She was
55 years old at the time of admission. Her diagnosis was "involutional
melancholia," a depression which sets in during menopause in women
who have not experienced mental illness previously.
Listed as a "Protestant," Augusta was to die at the hospital 12 MAR
1938, at the age of 87 or 88 years, of "senility." She had been a resident
for more than 32 years. Her death certificate indicates that her illness
began in 1901. Augusta was buried on the hospital grounds. The names
of her parents were listed as "unknown." Through her son Albert's death
certificate, however, we learn that Augusta's maiden name was Ankele.
One family tradition says that Augusta was committed after she
witnessed the death of her daughter in a kitchen accident. Her dress had
caught on fire. No one at the 1992 Family Reunion (except this writer's
mother) remembered the daughter or her name. Some doubted her
existence.
However, this writer has a 26 JUL 1965 letter from Grace Wolfinger,
Augusuta's granddaughter, which says:
"My mother was married to Frank Bartel. He was born in this country,
had two brothers and one sister. His father and mother came from the
old country," Grace wrote. "My mother (Jennie Queen Bartel Richmond)
had eight children, only three lived to be of any age," she added.
Another family tradition said that Herman committed his wife so that he
could seize their property and return to Germany. Augusta's hospital
record indicates that she was a paying patient, however; so it is possible
that the property was sold to pay Augusta's medical expenses. The record
also lists her address as 621 Nevada Street, Toledo.
It was fortuitous that Albert reported his mother's maiden name prior to
his death in Denver. A search of the Ohio records for 1900 provided only
one county with Ankele families -- Licking Co., City of Newark.
In 1900, Augusta would have been 50 or 51 years old. In 1900, there
was a Charles Ankele, 53, and his family listed in Newark. Charles was
born in "Germany." Also in Newark were Jacob Ankele, 57, and his family.
Jacob was also listed as born in "Germany."
Augusta, Charles and Jacob could be silbings, but we cannot prove this.
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